Joni’s Place opens April 1

Joni Goben of Lake Viking officially took possession of the restaurant formerly called Kathy’s Place on Tuesday, March 26. The diner will now be known as Joni’s Café.

Mrs. Goben expects to open the restaurant for customers on April 1.

The diner will be “Home of the Bulldog Burgers.” Mrs. Goben, who was actively involved with her own children when they attended school, says she wants to decorate the entry way with Bulldog items.

“I hope I can get the kids to bring stuff to me,” she said. “I’m looking for posters, banners, jerseys, anything I can tack up on the wall.”

The staff at Joni’s Café will include Bertha Virtue and Donna Loxterman, waitresses; Mary Hogan, prep cook; Matt Rogers, cook; and D.J. Harper, dishwasher. Mrs. Goben says she is still in the process of hiring more waitresses and cooks.

Mrs. Goben’s husband, Preston, is originally from St. Joseph. She came from California 15 years ago. While in California she owned a beauty shop and an antique store. While she has been in the restaurant business for 39 years, this will be her first time as the owner. She worked for Pat Morrison at the Coffee Cup and Pat’s Diner.

Mrs. Goben is leasing the building from Mrs. Morrison.

“We will eventually change things around inside,” says Mrs. Goben. “Weather permitting, we’ll paint and do some restoration on the outside.”

The restaurant will be open Monday through Saturday 5:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.; and Sunday-7 a.m. to 2 p.m. The new telephone number is 663-2270.

Joni and Preston Goben are the parents of four grown children, two boys and two girls, and four grandchildren. Her children live in Colorado, Florida, Pennsylvania and San Diego.